Buchanan, Castor Introduce Bill to Expand Hospital-at-Home Care

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, Congressman Vern Buchanan and Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced the At Home Observation and Medical Evaluation (HOME) Services Act to implement a pilot program to expand the scope of hospital-at-home care in the United States. Senator Rubio (R-FL) and Senator Carper (D-DE) introduced similar legislation in the Senate.

In November 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Acute Hospital Care At Home program to provide hospitals with increased flexibility to care for certain patients from the comfort and convenience of their homes rather than in a hospital setting. According to the American Hospital Association, this model has been proven to "reduce costs, improve outcomes and enhance the patient experience."

"This commonsense legislation builds upon the incredible success individuals have seen in hospital-at-home programs and is a much-needed solution to the healthcare challenges facing our country," said Buchanan. "The HOME Services Act is an important step in ensuring patients receive the level of care they need and deserve in the comfort of their own homes."

According to recent studies, allowing patients to be treated in a more familiar environment and routine accelerates recovery time, improves sleep patterns, and reduces the risk of hospital-acquired infections and falls. This legislation allows the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to test this program on observation status patients through a two-year pilot with strong safety parameters.

The hospital-at-home program is only currently available to those who have been admitted to the hospital in an inpatient capacity. According to Hospital at Home, the program "provides safe, high-quality, hospital-level care to older adults in the comfort of their own homes."

"Hospitals in Tampa Bay have been leading the way in providing high-quality care to patients across the region," said Castor. "This bipartisan legislation will allow our local providers to expand their services into patients’ homes, freeing up hospital beds for those who need it most and keeping our neighbors healthy and well and treated in a more comfortable setting."

This legislation has received the support of the Florida Hospitals Association, BayCare, Moffitt Cancer Center and Tampa General Hospital.

"Tampa General Hospital has been operating a CMS-approved Hospital at Home program since 2022 and has seen firsthand the remarkable evidence via enhanced patient experiences and improved patient outcomes," said Tampa General Hospital CEO, John Couris. "This is a true model of innovation that integrates remote patient monitoring, telehealth visits, and in-person comprehensive care by trained medical providers."